The Crucible Arthor Miller

1
The CrucibleArthor Miller

• Introduction

2
Objectives

• Understand the cultural dynamics that caused the
  McCarthy trials.
• Understand the cultural dynamics that caused the
  Salem Witch Trials.
• Compare and contrast the causes of the two trials.

3
Imagine

• Imagine that on last nights State of the Union,
  the President stated that the government had
  suspicions that there were Russian spies
  infiltrating Middle Tennessee and that he has
  implemented a plan to find and prosecute all
  suspected spies. The next morning, you and your
  family were awoken by FBI agents forcefully
  entering your home and arresting all of you. They
  didnt tell you why, didnt read you your rights,
  or give you a lawyer. Later that day, shivering
  in the county jail, you find out that a few of
  the people in your neighborhood believed that you
  all had direct ties with the Russian government
  and had plans to overthrow the American way of
  life. What would you do to get out of this
  situation? There is no solid evidence against
  you, but the judges are positive you hate America
  and are ready to throw you and your loved ones in
  prison foreverunless you confess your guilt and
  give them the names of your co-conspirators.
  Would you stick to your guns and proclaim your
  innocence no matter the consequences? Would you
  rot in jail for your beliefs? Would you tell the
  prosecutors names of people you know are innocent
  so that you could go free? If so, who would you
  condemn? Why?

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The Second Red Scare (1947-57)

• Joseph R. McCarthy, U.S. senator from Wisconsin
  from 1946 to his death in 1957, burst on the
  public scene in February 1950 with his claim that
  Communists had infiltrated the Department of
  State. Even though his accusations were never
  proved, during the next three years, McCarthy
  charged many government officials, members of the
  media, and other prominent figures with engaging
  in subversive activities and having Communist
  sympathies. The witch hunt climaxed in April
  1954, when McCarthy accused the secretary of the
  navy of sheltering Communist spies. The secretary
  mounted a vigorous and effective defense, which
  exposed McCarthys ruthless tactics and
  questionable motives. As a result, McCarthy was
  censured by the Senate and his influence
  declined.

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McCarthyism

• McCarthyism is the political action of making
  accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason
  without proper regard for evidence. The term
  specifically describes activities associated with
  the period in the United States known as the
  Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late
  1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by
  heightened fears of communist influence on
  American institutions and espionage by Soviet
  agents.

6
The Salem Witch Trials

• In 1692, fear and suspicion caused a slew of
  women and men of Salem, Mass. to be accused of
  witchcraft and hanged based on nothing but
  heresy. In total, 27 people were convicted, 19
  were hanged, 1 was pressed to death, and hundreds
  more were jailed.

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The Puritanical Way of Life

• American Puritans valued self-reliance,
  industriousness, temperance, and simplicity.
• The Puritans credo could possibly be Humans are
  sinful by nature most are damned for eternity
  salvation belongs to the elect, who can be
  identified by their virtue hard work and worldly
  success are signs of Gods grace people should
  live in a thrifty, self-reliant, and simple way.
• The Puritans were also very fearful of the devil
  and believed that he was a true being of evil
  that could seduce good Puritans to do evil
  things.
• They demanded strict conformity dissenters were
  often flogged, banished, or on occasion put to
  death.

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Inspired

• Inspired by the acts of suspicion and a trip to
  Salem, Mass., Arthur Miller wrote a play, The
  Crucible (1953), that is an allegory for the
  inquisition and censure brought down on innocent
  citizens by McCarthy and those who were seduced
  by McCarthys fear.

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Group Work

• In groups, read documents regarding The Second
  Red Scare and The Salem Witch Trials. Create a
  compare and contrast chart like the one on the
  board. Paraphrase and quote from the documents in
  order to back up your conclusions.
• Find similarities and differences in 5 of the 6
  following categories Social climate, Cultural
  Beliefs, Cultural Fears, Experts, Trial
  Proceedings, Treatment of Victims.

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Behavioral Expectations

• Talk quietly in your groups. There should be a
  small hum coming from our room, not a roar. I
  should not be able to hear individual
  conversations.
• Respect everyones opinions.
• Participation is key! This activity will be
  counted as class work. If I see that you are not
  working, then you will receive one warning. If
  you are still not participating/helping your
  group then you will receive a zero in the grade
  book. (This will be individualized. The group
  will not be punished for one persons lack of
  participation.)
• I will be playing music quietly during group
  work. When the music stops, so does the group
  work. This means that everyone should quit what
  they are doing and become quiet.
• We will share our findings after group work is
  finished.

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What did you find out?
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Review Objectives

• Understand the cultural dynamics that caused the
  McCarthy trials.
• Understand the cultural dynamics that caused the
  Salem Witch Trials.
• Compare and contrast the causes of the two
  trials.

13
Homework

• Get Arthur Millers The Crucible
• Write a paragraph about a modern situation that
  reminds you of the McCarthy trials and the Salem
  Witch trials. (A paragraph meaning five full
  sentences or longer, with a clear topic sentence,
  and a clear closing sentence. Make sure there
  arent any run-on sentences of fragments since we
  have been talking about them for the last week!)